Kaeng khae gai

Method

1. 1 Soak dried chilies for 15 minutes to soften them, then pound them with dried onions, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, and shrimp paste to make a dry curry, a signature dish of Northern Thailand.
2. 2 Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, wash the fresh bamboo shoots and boil them for 5 minutes, then remove them from the water.
3. 3 Sauté the dry curry powder with a little water for 3 minutes until fragrant, then add the chicken and stir-fry until browned, then pour in enough water to cover.
4. 4 Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer the chicken for 20 minutes. Next, add the bamboo shoots, eggplant, small eggplant, and mushrooms and cook for another 10 minutes.
5. 5 Add betel leaves, basil leaves, and sawtooth coriander, season with fish sauce, simmer for another 3 minutes, then turn off the heat. This soup does not use coconut milk, so it has a light and spicy flavor.

With an appliance

• Pressure cooker 50 min

  Replace the chicken stew in step 4: cook the chicken in high-pressure water for 7 minutes, then quickly release the pressure. Add the bamboo shoots, eggplant, bell peppers, and mushrooms after opening the lid, cook for 10 minutes, and then add the herbs in step 5.